In a protest, seven Dalit youngsters attempted suicide in the region of Saurashtra over the allegations, leading protesters to torch state transport buses, one in Rajkot and another in Jamnagar.
Advertisement
Tension has gripped parts of the Indian state of Gujarat after reports that seven men from the low-caste Dalit community had attempted suicide.
They dumped cow carcasses in government offices on Tuesday, asking ‘Gau Rakshak’ groups to dispose of the dead cows- a job Dalits were burdened with.
Rajkot/Ahmedabad: A policeman was killed in mob violence and a Dalit committed suicide on Tuesday as protests against last week’s thrashing of four youth in Una town snowballed across Saurashtra region of Gujarat on Tuesday.
At Gondal, five Dalit youth – Rajesh Parmar, Ramesh Pardhi, Jagdish Rathod, Bharat Solanki and Anil Maghad – tried to end their lives by drinking poison near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue in market area of the town.
Besides, the government has announced a special court to try the case and has appointed a special public prosecutor too. The authorities have so far suspended four police officials and arrested nine persons in this matter.
“Dalit Panthers of Gujarat has given a Gujarat bandh call tomorrow to protest against the atrocities on dalits in Una town”. The video showed several men stripping the victims, tying them to an SUV and beating them up with iron pipes and sticks.
Though they were immediately admitted to the Civil Hospital in Gondal, a large number of people who gathered there entered into arguments with the police. They also threatened to stop carrying away dead animals from villages and towns, which they traditionally did.
Meanwhile, over 500 members of the Dalit community, including 40 members of the OBC Ekta Manch headed by Alpesh Thakore, were arrested from different parts of the state for indulging in violent protests. The state reserve police force was deployed in Rajkot following incidents of stone-pelting in the city.
Advertisement
After a week of incident, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today ordered CID probe into the alleged assault on Dalits for allegedly killing a cow at Una.
